So you’ve spent months, or even years, carefully wishing, planning, budgeting, measuring, drawing, and even bidding your basement finishing project and you’re almost ready to get down to business. One factor in your basement finishing you may not have considered yet is: “should my contractor be licensed?”

This may not be such an easy question. Some states require licensing; other states without these requirements have counties and/or cities that require licensing, other places simply have no licensing requirements at all.

You may live in an area like ours, where it is perfectly legal for an unlicensed contractor to pull a permit for your basement finishing project. On the flip side, your area may require licensing, but you will find any number of contractors who are unwilling or unable to comply.

Trust Constructors — Experienced, Insured, Licensed, TRUSTed

So the question again becomes: “should my contractor be licensed?”

In a word… YES!

Several years ago I met a contractor, who somewhat brazenly bragged about working all over town without a license or even pulling a permit. I’m sure it wasn’t coincidence that when talking about several of his jobs, he joked: “I know it’s nice, ’cause I did it twice!”

There are several very important reasons you want your contractor licensed.

First and foremost, to obtain a license your basement finishing contractor must pass a test to demonstrate mastery of specific building codes and practices. Building is a complex business and doing it incorrectly leads to massive headache and stress. A licensed contractor has proved that he has the knowledge to build correctly.

Second, most places require a license to pull a permit. Your basement finishing project should be inspected by your municipality for compliance with building codes. These inspectors are there to verify that your contractor has done his work correctly. Their approval of the work is required to close out a permit.

As a Licensed Basement Finishing Professional, We Build it Better!

Third, many licensing authorities require your contractor to prove his past experience before obtaining his licensing. This often requires notarized statements of satisfaction from past customers or other verification that he has on-the-job experience in doing the work he wishes to be licensed for. In this way, a license is a customer testimonial.

Last, complying with local ordinance is one of many indicators you should look for that your basement finishing contractor is a trustworthy individual that you want in your home.

Hiring a licensed basement finishing contractor doesn’t have to cost extra — and the benefits are plain to see. Before starting your project, make sure your contractor has a current license. It’s a choice you won’t regret.

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What people say about Trust Constructors:

Specifically, Joel has two primary benefits over any other contractor I’ve met. One, he is fantastic at building and sticking to tight, yet, conceivable project timeframes. Two, he puts the client’s satisfaction first, and with sincere attention to detail.